Find out how popular the last name Sangster is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Sangster.

Sangster, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Sangster surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sangster in America

Sangster is the 11612th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sangster surname appeared 2,702 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Sangster.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sangster to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Sangster

The surname Sangster originated in England during the late 12th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old French word "sangster", meaning a singer or performer of secular songs. The name likely referred to minstrels or troubadours who entertained at courts and castles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name comes from the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1199, where a Robert le Sangster is mentioned. The "le" prefix denotes "the" in Old French, indicating his occupation rather than a family name at that time.

The Sangster name appears in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a John le Sangster. The Placita de Quo Warranto from 1292 also mentions a William le Sangster.

Over time, the name evolved from its occupational roots to become a hereditary surname. By the 14th century, it had lost the "le" prefix and was being used as a true surname.

One notable early figure was John Sangster, a 15th-century English monk and composer from Bury St Edmunds. His works were included in the Old Hall Manuscript, one of the most important sources of 15th-century English music.

Another individual of note was William Sangster, born in 1900 and a prominent English Methodist minister and author. He wrote several books, including "The Path to Perfection" and "The Craft of Sermon Construction".

In Scotland, the Sangster name can be traced back to the 16th century. One early example is James Sangster, born around 1540 in Angus, Scotland. He was a Protestant reformer and minister who played a role in the Scottish Reformation.

Across the Atlantic, one of the earliest recorded Sangsters in North America was Robert Sangster, who arrived in Virginia from England in 1635. He later settled in Maryland and was granted land there in 1638.

A more recent figure was Charles Sangster, a Canadian poet born in 1822 in Kingston, Ontario. He published several volumes of poetry, including "The St. Lawrence and the Saguenay" and "Hesperus, and Other Poems and Lyrics".

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sangster

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Sangster.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Sangster was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Sangster has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Sangster was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sangster, please contact us.

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